Then and Now
by Justaburrito
Summary: Eremika, currently cadet days. Following the main SNK story, focusing on moments in-between the main plot, but with Eremika.
1. Bad Dream

**A/N:**

 **Hello potential readers!**

 **This is my first time writing fanfiction, but worry not! For I am not new to writing, and I have read many-a-good fanfiction before, so I get the idea.**

 **This is a new multi-chaptered Eremika fic I came up with, I was thinking of following the main story but eremika and doing some moments in-between the main plot. Please let me know what you think and know that I am always open to ALL forms of criticism, as I use it to help myself as a writer so feel free to go Gordon Ramsay on me.**

 **I'm thinking of releasing this first chapter now while I write the next 5-10 chapters of this and release them all together, that way you will have lots to read at once. (if anyone will read this *nervous laugh*)**

 **Alright let's get this started.**

* * *

The pitch black, moonless nights like these ones always made Mikasa remember that terrible night years ago when Eren had saved her from the slavers that had killed her parents. The whole scene relaying in her head over and over, and the same lessons being taught to her again and again.

If you don't fight, you don't win.

The world is a cruel place where only the victor survives.

Mikasa tried to stop her train of thought there, but it was already too late, she was already starting to remember again...

* * *

 _Dr. Jeager's cart rattled against the gravel and dirt path leading back to Shiganshina district. The only light in the pitch black night being the warm yellow glow of the lamp attached to the front of the cart next to Dr. Jeager, who was paying attention to the road ahead and the horses leading the cart, every now and then spurring them to make a turn._

 _Reality had hit Mikasa like a brick only a few minutes ago and she couldn't bring herself to stop crying, she was beginning to realise that she would never see her mother or father again._

 _It hurt._

 _She could feel the warmth of the rug placed over herself and Eren seated next to her and had clung to him from as soon as the cart had started moving. Eren held her head to the gap in-between his shoulder and his chest while she cried. He felt so sorry for her. He couldn't imagine how he would feel if his parents were killed like hers, he would probably stop at nothing to get revenge on the culprits. He then realised that he had already gotten revenge for her, or at least most of it. Then he wondered if she would have liked to get the revenge for herself, but quickly shook that thought out of his head._

 _"Th-Thank you" her tiny voice broke out between the whimpers and cries._

 _"Don't thank me; you saved me too remember? We're even."_

 _She started crying harder, and Eren held her closer._

 _By the time they had arrived in Shiganshina, the streets were empty, save for the guards at the gate and a few stray animals and mice._

 _Mikasa was so tired, yet she doubted she would could sleep for a while. Her crying had slowed down, but only because she had run out of tears._

 _It still hurt._

 _"Alright," Dr. Jeager spoke up from the front, startling Mikasa as the cart came to a stop "Time to go home."_

 _Eren started to shift from underneath her and Mikasa clung on tighter, not wanting to let go of the warmth that was disguising the cold and bitterness that is the world._

 _"Come on, Mikasa," she looked up at her name being spoken by Eren "We need to get out of the cart," and he started shifting again "unless you'd rather stay in the stables." he added jokingly, a poor attempt to lighten the mood._

 _The stables boy had taken the hoses off the front of the cart and Dr. Jeager pulled out a bag of coins to pay with. Mikasa still held tightly onto Eren's arm. Suddenly, Eren spoke up excitedly "We'll be home soon, it's real warm there, just you wait. We have a fireplace that you can also cook at! And an extra bed and mom has some old girl clothes," he then leaned in closer to speak quietly "And don't tell Dad but I have some coins I stole off Hannes' friends while they were drunk!"_

 _Mikasa didn't know how to respond to that, he was being so friendly and excitable, plus she didn't think she would be able to talk if she wanted to. So she stayed silent and stared at the ground, finally loosening her hold on Eren's arm._

 _"Let's go you two." Dr. Jeager walked up to the two of them and held on to Eren's free hand and they started walking down the dark streets of the very late hours of the night._

 _A small while later, Mikasa sat on a pile of rugs and pillows on a mattress next to Eren staring blankly into the Jeager residence's fireplace, the soft yellow glow spreading across the room and making large, flickering shadows on the wall behind them._

 _Dr. Jeager had gone upstairs to talk with Carla, and Eren and Mikasa were left staring at the fireplace with Eren talking to her about anything that came to mind._

 _"You'll like my mom; she's really nice. You'll get along great... You'll like Armin too, he's my friend. His grandpa has lots of books..." Eren spoke to her as she looked at the end of her new scarf "Can you read? I can't very well, but Armin can, he reads to me... he can read to you too if you like."_

 _"Okay"_

 _Absent-mindedly looking at the scarf he gave her she thought back to hours before, when her parents were killed._

 _The world is cruel like that._

 _"You can keep it if you want."_

 _"...Ok"_

 _It still hurt._

* * *

Mikasa was shaking now. It was so cold there in her small bed they gave to the trainees, her breathing hitched as she tried to hold back tears. She couldn't lose more family, not like that.

She quickly sat up and listened, it was too dark to see, and besides her own sniffling there was even breathing coming from the other beds in the room. She pushed her legs off the side of the bed and walking silently to the door.

She made her way down the hall where she knew Eren's dorm room was.

Once she made it there she took a second to wipe the tears from her eyes and slowly opened the door to see pitch black again. She quietly shut the door behind her.

"Hi, Mikasa." Eren's whispered voice came from across the room, letting her know he was awake and she swiftly strode across the room to his bed where she heard him shuffling over to give her room. Shamefully, she crawled under the covers next to him, and he immediately wrapped his arms around her.

Mikasa looked around the room, though she knew she couldn't see, trying to spot others in the room, Connie was snoring in one corner. Marco seemed to be sleeping, though he knew Mikasa came here often anyway, and no sound came from Franz's bed, indicating he was probably with Hannah somewhere.

Mikasa placed her head down next to his as he quietly started talking to her. "I had a feeling you'd come tonight. You always come when there's no moon."

"I'm sorry that I do this. I don't want to keep you awake."she whispered back.

"Don't be sorry, you can't help it."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me either." he retorted in a slightly angry whisper.

Mikasa sighed and pulled her head down so her mouth was covered by her scarf.

"I'm the one who's sorry." His words made her look up again and he continued "I'm sorry about everything that's happened to you, I'm sorry that I'm so shitty to you, and I'm sorry I don't tell you that enough."

Mikasa was lost for words; Eren wasn't one to apologise often. She felt... grateful. Grateful that the old Eren from back in those days was still there, the same Eren that saved her back then.

"Thank you, Eren" Mikasa said and leaned forward to hug him "and there's no need to apologise to me."

"I didn't want you to follow me into the cadets." he said with obvious distaste in his voice.

"Eren-"

"But I'm glad you did."

And at that, Mikasa really did feel better.

It still hurt.

But it hurt a bit less.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading, and please don't forget to drop a review. Let me know what you think, if you spotted any mistakes, or you have any ideas to make the plot flow better or anything of the like. Also let me know if you'd rather me just release chapters as I make them (WARNING: very inconsistent) or if you would rather me release chapters in bundles in a few weeks. (or however long it takes me.)**

 **Anyway, Thank you again, and goodbye!**


	2. Getting Started with 3D Maneuver

**A/N: Back again with a second chapter of this fanfiction for all you lifeless people who would rather read romance than actively participate in it... Haha who am I kidding, I'm the one writing this which is way worse.**

 **I've decided that I will just release these chapters as I make them, which is probably once per week but don't expect a proper schedule from me as I am WAY too much of a wreck to properly plan things.**

 **Without further ado (adieu? ¯\\_(** **ツ** **)_/¯ ) let's begin chapter two!**

* * *

Eren awoke abruptly to the loud noise of Shadis's fist rapping against the wooden door.

"Wake up, maggots!" he shouted.

As Eren stirred, he began to remember the events of the previous night and quickly turned his head to look at Mikasa, only to see she was no longer there.

 _She must have gone back earlier,_ thought Eren as he lifted his feet over the bed and onto the wooden floor to stand up.

Their instructor's heavy footsteps began again and faded away as he left to wake the next room of cadets, and Connie groaned loudly from his corner of the room.

Eren got up and began to change, and as he did so, he remembered being told today they would be doing rock-climbing to practice for when they started using 3DMG properly.

As Eren pulled on his cadet corps jacket, he noticed Connie was still in his bed, groaning something about the sun.

"Oi, wake up," Eren said to him.

"Ugh… My head," he replied groggily, sitting up. "What... happened...? Can't remember…"

"What? Just hurry up and get ready to go out. I don't want the instructor on my back."

"Ugh… oh, that's right... climbing today," Connie slurred, holding his head with one hand, the other propping himself up.

"What happened to you anyways? Are you sick?" Eren queried.

"Uhh." Connie paused, rubbing his forehead with his thumb and forefinger. "Sasha found liquor in the food storage."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Eren protested, knowing he shouldn't be surprised. " _Both_ of you are going to fail today."

"I need water." Connie ignored Eren as he put his boots on.

"Where's Franz?"

Connie made an " _I don't know"_ sort of grunt, and Eren walked out of their room, deciding that Connie's problems were his own doing.

* * *

Mikasa sat across from Armin, eating the same cold slop that they were served every day for breakfast.

"So what team were you put into for today's training?" Armin asked, trying to stir a conversation.

"Team Six," Mikasa replied simply.

"I was put into Team Four," Armin mused, more to himself than Mikasa now. "I don't really see how rock climbing will help to get us used to maneuver training though. Wouldn't it be better to learn with higher-tensile rope like the maneuver gear uses? Or maybe to just have us do the climbing with the gear already attached to the top, then to-"

"Hey, Armin, stop the rambling," Eren's voice cut in. Armin looked up to see his best friend looking at him with passive irritation as he set down his bowl and sat down next to Mikasa. "Nobody understands."

Armin gave a light chuckle at Eren's confused look. "Sorry."

"Eren," Mikasa spoke up. "What team are you in today?"

"Uh, Six, I think."

"Then you two are in the same team," noted Armin.

"Huh? Oh, okay then," said Eren, returning to his meal. Both Mikasa and Armin had almost finished eating, so Armin told the others he was going to leave to find other members of his team, leaving the other two alone at the table.

"I'm sorry about last night," Mikasa said quickly, the words spilling out almost the second Armin was out of earshot, her face slightly flushed. "I couldn't sleep and-"

"Stop apologising," Eren cut her off. "It's… all right." He paused, looking down at his 'meal'.

"E-"

"It's always been like this, yeah?" he cut her off again, "You don't have to feel bad… if I'm being honest, I can't really sleep either on those nights."

That surprised her. Eren wasn't really one to have those kind of thoughts, and if he did he didn't share them. Mikasa gave an inward smile, _It really is the same old Eren from back in those days._ She thought.

Once she finished eating, she decided to stay and wait for Eren. Sitting in silence, it didn't ever seem awkward for Mikasa though, as it was nice for her to simply sit there with him.

Soon, Eren finished eating, and they left to find the other members of their team.

* * *

"Ready, Cadets!" Shadis's voice boomed down to the cadets readying their harnesses below. It wasn't so much of a question than it was a command, his voice echoing throughout the training grounds (and the cadets' ears).

"Yes, sir!" they all shouted in response.

The activity was simple: the group of four had each connected their harnesses to a different part of the rope, which ran along the face of the small cliff. They were all to climb up the single rope at the top as a group, one following after another.

"So who wants to go up first?" asked Reiner.

Neither Mikasa nor Marco responded, so Eren did.

"I'll go up front," he said, taking a step towards the sheer face of the rock, Mikasa following close after him.

Team Six had been unlucky enough to have Shadis as their personal instructor in this task, while the other groups had _finally_ gotten a break from him.

As Eren slowly started up the rock face, Mikasa attached her harness to some of the rope a bit further down and started climbing after him, followed by Reiner and Marco, respectively.

Mikasa knew that though she could climb faster than Eren, it wouldn't matter if she were in front as they were all attached to the same rope. This was a team activity, so it wasn't as though getting to the top herself would help their grade.

Once they had all made it about halfway, Eren saw Shadis stop looking down on them from above and start to move back.

"What's he _doing_?" Eren asked nobody in particular as their instructor bent down near where the rope was attached up the top.

Eren stopped climbing for a second, catching Mikasa's attention.

"What's wrong, E-" Mikasa was cut off by the support from the rope suddenly going slack, and she immediately gripped onto the rocky surface. Looking up, she saw Eren doing the same, and looking down, she noticed that Reiner had managed to stay on the wall of the cliff. However, Marco had fallen, and Reiner was directly attached to him.

Marco's weight and velocity turned out to be too much for Reiner, as the rope yanked him off of the rocky face, and he, too, began to fall with the screaming Marco.

Mikasa prepared herself to support the weight of the two, but knew she wouldn't be able. It was strange. She worried more about whether she'd drag down Eren next than she did about actually being pulled down the short cliff. As she felt the weight of the rope tugging at her, her hands losing their grip, she thought about the likelihood of Eren's survival. Sure, it was a short drop, and they could probably come out with at _most_ a _few_ broken bones between the four of them, but Eren was up highest, and if someone were to land wrong— on their head, perhaps?— then it could mean death.

Mikasa looked up to Eren again and immediately noticed what had happened.

Eren had removed his own harness and had attached it to a leafless bit of shrubbery jutting horizontally out of the side of the cliff face. Eren, latching onto some rock next to it, looked down at Mikasa with a face that told of his doubt in his on-the-spot idea.

With a sound that resembled the crack of a whip, the rope snapped taut, and Mikasa abruptly came to a stop.

Eren looked down, relief flooding his face at that his idea had worked. He had been so worried for Mikasa's safety, which was unlike him because he knew she could take care of herself.

 _Just the thought of her being hurt is scary enough,_ he realised.

Suddenly, a surge of anger came over him and he turned sharply to look back up at Shadis, who caused the whole thing and had simply stood at the top, passively watching it play out.

"WHAT THE _FUCK!_ " he shouted up at the top of his lungs.

"Congratulations, Jaeger," Shadis dryly replied. "An unlikely top mark for you."

"WHAT!? ARE YOU _INSANE!?"_

"You better not be talking to me when you say that, Jaeger! !"

Mikasa watched the whole thing unfold from below, where she grabbed onto the rocks to stablize herself once again.

She was glad that Eren was safe and that he had just saved her.

"Mikasa, are you alright?" Eren asked gently as he looked back down, still obviously angry.

"Y-yeah… thank you, Eren."

She was happy that he would still save her, that he cared for her at least enough to have that worried look on his face when he asked if she was all right.

They all climbed the rest of the way down slowly, Marco's teeth chattering all the way down. Once they had all made it to the bottom, their instructor was already there waiting for them.

He was writing something down on a notepad, and when Reiner asked what the _hell_ that was all about, he merely grunted and told the group they're dismissed for the rest of the day.

 _Damn devils. I hope they don't end up killing Bertolt or Annie. These people are dangerous just to be around,_ Reiner thought to himself.

 _I can't wait to just get back to my hometown._

* * *

 **A/N: To be continued next chapter!**

 **For those who guessed this, yes, this was based off the mid-episode cards that act as a little break. (Intermissions I think they call them ) This one was called '3D Maneuver Gear Training (3)' and I can't remember what episode it's from.**

 **A** _ **huge**_ **thanks to** **LunaBloom** **for beta-ing this chapter, and for leaving a super helpful review and opportunity last chapter. I never realised before how many mistakes I make!**

 **Next chapter will be in a week or so (probably) so don't forget to follow, favorite and review the story so you get a notification when the next chapter is available!**

 **I don't have anything else to say so here is a bad SNK joke:**

 _ **How to pronounce Jean's name:**_

 **Half of the fandom:** Gene!

 **Other half:** John!

 **The show:** JAH!

* * *

 _ **Editor's Note i.**_ _because i just like to number my notes. i probably won't have a note every chapter. anyway, as you've read, hi! i'm LunaBloom, the beta reader! i use excessive capitals, parentheses, and exclamation points! and also i talk way too much in my notes! anyway, (because i say anyway a_ lot _) i just wanted to thank justaburrito for agreeing to take me on as a beta reader; it's been a while since i've had a beta job, and it's such a breath of fresh air to be working with someone so willing to take advice and give credit._

 _burrito (i'm just gonna call them that idk if that's okay or not) said i could self-advertize, so if you're looking for a beta, just pm me or smth. i can't guarantee that i'll say yes (i'm a little busy w/real life, and i'm_ preeeetty _sure i held up the publication of this chapter by a few days— sorry about that), but hey! never hurts to try! anyway, thanks for reading!_


	3. Lazy Afternoon

**A/N: Hello peoples! I'm back at it again with the white vans! Uh… I mean… another chapter!**

 **I'm sorry for terrible, terrible lateness, I got early access to Star Wars Battlefront 2 (which I have been playing non-stop), and I had exams. That's not really an excuse because I didn't study at all, but I'm using that excuse… exams… yeah.**

 **Ok so for this one I'm just gonna use this chapter to set up some plot so this one will be a bit shorter. I know, late AND short, what the hell burrito?**

 **Alright time for me to stop talking (typing) and let us continue on where we left off.**

* * *

"W-wait," Marco stuttered, still shaken up by the fall that happened only minutes before, "we're dismissed for the day?"

"Hmm?" Reiner snapped out of his thoughts. "Oh yeah, I guess we are."

"The instructor said so," Eren confirmed.

Mikasa followed next to Eren in silence, wondering about what they would do for the rest of today. None of the other teams had finished yet, unless they all pulled the same stunt as Team Six did.

Mikasa silently hoped for some time alone with Eren; she really did enjoy those times.

"So… what do you guys want to do now?" Marco asked.

"Sorry, guys. I wanted to see how Bertolt is going with that training," Reiner explained.

"Yeah, and I think I want to lie down for a bit," Marco said nervously, scratching the back of his head. That much was true, though he also didn't want to interrupt whatever might have been happening between the remaining two. He hears Mikasa sneak into bed with Eren every so often, and he didn't want to pry into anything that wasn't really his place.

"All right then," Eren said, watching as Marco changed paths and went toward the dorms and Reiner left to watch Bertolt's group. "Well, Mikasa, any ideas for what to do?" he asked, looking at her.

She paused for a bit before responding, "I'm not sure..." she hesitantly said, looking at her feet. "How about we get lunch and sit outside?"

"Uh... Yeah! That's a good idea. We can do that while we wait for Armin!" He smiled back at her and noticed her blush, but he thought nothing of it.

The two of them began the short walk to the mess hall to get some food.

* * *

Eren and Mikasa sat down next to each other in the shade of a tree near the mess hall, as they were sitting, a thought occurred to Eren. "Do you think the other teams had their ropes cut too?" he asked aloud.

"I don't think so, otherwise the other teams would be finished by now too," explained Mikasa.

Eren appeared to be thinking for a second, "Yeah, that makes sense," he responded.

A pause fell over the pair. Eren began munching at his bread, and Mikasa followed suit, enjoying the coolness of the tree's shade on them.

"It's nice out here," she murmured distantly, listening to the sounds of the wind and the rustling leaves.

Eren seemed to voice exactly what she was thinking. "Yeah, I'm not sure how trees' shade always seems cooler than regular shade," he said, looking up at the leaves above them.

During the next few minutes, they both sat under the shade of the tree and finished their meals, and after a while longer, Eren laid back on the grass, pillowing his head on the palms of his hands and closing his eyes.

Mikasa watched him out of the corner of her eye and smiled to herself. After watching him for a bit, she shuffled a bit closer, slowly, so as for him not to notice, and lay down on her side looking towards him.

It didn't take long for the two to drift off to peaceful sleep together again.

* * *

Armin walked slowly, dragging his feet across the gravel path out of pure exhaustion. He had just been through the grueling rock climbing activity, with a very hungover Sasha and an upset Hannah on his team no less. Apparently, she hadn't seen Franz all day. _Nobody_ had seen him since yesterday, and people were growing worried. Especially Hannah, since she saw him every day.

Armin decided to look for Eren and Mikasa; he was sure they would be finished by now.

As he walked toward the mess hall to grab some food, he noticed them off to the side under a tree.

Mikasa was curled up with her head resting on Eren's forearm and shoulder, who had that arm curled back around holding her closer. They were both asleep.

Armin smiled at the scene in front of him; he knew of Mikasa's feelings toward Eren. He had known since they were children, though he knew Mikasa would never say it out loud. But he was still unsure of how Eren felt about her. He definitely cared a lot about her, but Armin suspected that Eren wouldn't understand his feelings if he were to even have them.

He went inside to get some food for himself and went back to the sleeping pair, sitting down a meter away from them to eat.

* * *

 **A/N: To be continued… I've set up a nice little sub-plot of 'where's Franz the cannon fodder' so that's why he actually is mentioned every chapter so far. Worry not, he's still** **not** **an important character in this or the main series… *cough cough* DISPOSABLE CHARACTER *cough cough***

 **Again, huge thanks to my awesome beta, LunaBloom, go check out their stuff here:** **/u/7430908/**

 **Once again, sorry for being almost a whole month late, I'll try to keep on schedule from now on. For now, please enjoy a low-quality SNK joke and a nerdy maths rant from me personally!**

 _ **Learning about the animal kingdom:**_

 **Teacher:** humans are on the top of the food chain because there is nothing else that can eat us.

 **Me:** titans

 **Teacher:** what

 **Me:** what

 **MATHS NERD ALERT:** Random note, totally unrelated to anything Attack on Titan… There's this thing out there I found called "Mandelbrot set" and it is goddamn cool just search it on the internet. It's a little complicated at first, but an easy way to explain it is a closed shape with an infinite perimeter, and I mean infinite. It's was discovered in the 80's so nothing new, but I just found it and I was like whaaaaaat. I'm finding the more videos I watch about it, the more crazy things I learn about it, like trees' growing pattern follows this shape the same as blood vessels and shells and other crazy stuff. Also it's trippy as shit so if you're high then yeah definitely search it… I mean, uh, don't do drugs… drugs are bad…

 _ **Editor's Note ii.**_ _HAHAHA I'M SO SORRY FOR ALSO DELAYING THE CHAPTER ;W; i've been out of the country to visit relatives in taiwan and the wifi is kinda spotty here because old people and wifi don't mix and i can't read enough chinese to see what they're even doing. ;w; plus the hotel i'm editing from doesn't have outlets that let me charge my laptop SO ;w;; anyway thanks for reading! ! !_


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